Northern Redbacks once again had the answers in Sunday's NPLWA – Women’s Round 18 clash as they defeated Curtin University 5-1 to return to the top of the league.
Murdoch University Melville had applied the pressure on Carlos Vega Mena's side with a big win over Subiaco on Friday. Redbacks, as they have done whenever questioned, responded in fine fashion with two goals each for Larissa Walsh and Sarah Carroll.
Walsh opened the scoring when she collected a short back pass, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted in.
But Curtin have scored in every NPLW meeting with Redbacks, even coming back from two goals down in the previous two meetings this season. So it wasn’t the biggest surprise when they equalised on half-an-hour, Eleanor Bates swinging in a corner and Andrea Preiato heading her first goal at this level.
Redbacks needed to reply and did so twice before the break. Sarah Carroll moved into double figures for the season when she converted a penalty, which was won by Carla Bennett.
And it was 3-1 two minutes before the break as Walsh bundled in to join MUM FC’s Katarina Jukic at the top of the goalscoring charts with a dozen for the campaign.
Danielle Suckling fizzed an effort at Maya Diederichsen with 18 minutes left, but Redbacks struck two late goals to equal their best scoring tally in a game this season.
Renee Leota came off the bench and picked out the bottom corner to net for the first time since mid-May, before Carroll iced the game late on with a fifth for rampant Redbacks.
With three games to play they are one point clear, and it is looking more and more likely that the destination of the title will come down to the final-round clash between Redbacks and MUM FC at Murdoch on Friday 3 September.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Hyundai NTC won their third straight game to move on to the same points as Top Four Cup rivals Balcatta, whom they defeated 2-0.
Taneesha Baker curled over the bar and that was a warning for Balcatta's defence as the winger rifled in her third of the season from the edge of the area.
Zara Board twice thwarted Kimberly McCartney as Balcatta rallied before half-time, and the goalkeeper denied the Balcatta defender again early in the second half from a free-kick.
Baker was the architect of NTC’s second goal when her cross was met by Ella Lincoln, whose shot was saved but Grace Johnston on hand to nod in.
That was how it stayed and NTC completed a clean sweep over Balcatta with a third win over Tim Cash's team this season.
On Friday, Fremantle City snapped a four-game losing streak in interim coach Garry Church's first game in charge, as they defeated Perth SC 2-1 to give themselves breathing space in third place.
Two stunning strikes from Mikayla Lyons took her tally to nine for the campaign.
Her opener was rattled in first-time at the near post on 17 minutes. Lyons then took on all-comers and curled superbly into the top corner to make it 2-0 five minutes before half time.
Perth hit back promptly through Sophia Neal's first Azzurri goal to make it 2-1, but it was not enough to prevent sixth-place Perth suffering a fifth loss in a row.
Friday also saw Murdoch University Melville move top, albeit until today only, with a 9-0 win over Subiaco.
Ellie La Monte, Grace Betti and Marianna Tabain scored two apiece, Tia Stonehill notched her 10th of the season while Subiaco also conceded two own goals.
Fremantle City 2-1 Perth SC
Hyundai NTC 2-0 Balcatta
MUM FC 9-0 Subiaco
Northern Redbacks 5-1 Curtin University